


Just one song

by NarshTaters



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, Legend actually likes all his companions, Legend deserves to be happy, No You Can't Change My Mind, Pianist Legend, so in this fic he gets to be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:26:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarshTaters/pseuds/NarshTaters
Summary: It hadn’t been a particularly exhausting journey, no, but they had decided to stay at an inn for a night or two anyways. Long enough to gather information and rest, but not long enough as to waste time.Legend taps the table with his fingers, eyes flicking between an all-too eager Captain, an amused old man, and the growing anticipation from the rest of the group.“...fine. One song, but that’s it!” he declares, getting up from his seat.---Or: everybody goads Legend into playing the piano and everyone ends up having a good time.
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 183





	Just one song

“Just one song,” Warriors pleads.

“No way. Not happening.”

“ _ C’moooooon!” _

“Nope.”

“We all saw how many instruments you have in that house of yours! You must know something. Just one song.”

“Just because I might know something on the piano doesn’t mean I want to play it.” Legend retorts.

“It could be fun,” Time says gently, almost as an afterthought.

Legend turns to him with a glare. Time had been quiet for the whole conversation-turned-argument up until now, calmly sipping his drink with only half an ear for his companions. Now he swirls the drink in his hand with a smile, watching the veteran with a challenging quirk in his brow.

It hadn’t been a particularly exhausting journey, no, but they had decided to stay at an inn for a night or two anyways. Long enough to gather information and rest, but not long enough as to waste time.

Legend taps the table with his fingers, eyes flicking between an all-too eager Captain, an amused old man, and the growing anticipation from the rest of the group.

“...fine. One song, but that’s it!” he declares, getting up from his seat. Encouraging cheers erupt from the table as he makes his way to the large instrument at the side of the room.

It isn’t a large inn, not by a long shot, but it at least has enough room for the nine of them to relax in the lobby. Not comfortably, however, and the piano sitting awkwardly in the corner definitely doesn’t do much to help the issue. Nor are the acoustics anything to write home about—he could practically hear the snickers and whines of anticipation  _ echoing _ behind him—but he holds solace in the fact that maybe he could drown them out with his playing. As his fingers silently grace the tops of the keys for a moment, he considers what song he could play. Piano isn’t his first choice in instrument, he would prefer to play something else honestly, but he did know a song or two. Though the question is: Which one?

…

…that one would do well.

His lips settle into a smirk as he begins playing with sudden movement, his fingers flying deftly over the keys. His right flies up and down while his left delivers hard punches to the bass, together orchestrating the most over-the-top chromatic glissando they can muster. He takes a pause to glance back at his companions, drinking in their various states of slacked-jawed awe and surprise with a grin. If any of them weren’t paying attention before, they were now.

He turns back around and finally begins the actual song, starting the slow skip of the bassline, splashing the notes and rhythm through the keys. His right hand starts the melody soon after, steadily picking up the tempo with a smoother and higher rain of music that compliments the thundering lower parts. He hears a bark of laughter in recognition from the old man behind him as he speeds up the tune further, getting faster like the spin of a windmill in a thunderstorm.

It isn’t long before the shuffle of movement at their table alerts his attention.

“C’mon, dance with me!” comes the sailor’s voice. Sparing a glance, the veteran finds the kid dragging both the chosen hero and the champion to their feet, with nervous glances between the two of them.

“I don’t really...” Sky begins.

“You’ll do fine!” Wind reassures. He spreads an infectious smile to the two of them and starts to lead them in a movement that could generously be called a sort of dance. Eventually, they begin to loosen themselves up into laughter and more comfortable movements, Legend rolling his eyes to himself and repeating a phrase or two for their sake.

Moments longer and there is more movement as the traveler leaves the table to trail toward the piano. He silently gawks in wonder at the skill with which Legend’s fingers move, all while Wind and Wild coerce others to join them. Another glance tells him that they manage to ensnare the Captain and the smithy, the two of them rolling their eyes with a laugh, the latter easing into the carefree dancing soon after his feet hit the floor.

“None of you have any clue how to actually dance, do you?” Warriors asks with a laugh in his voice.

“Well, I don’t see anyone giving lessons! Unless you’ve got somethin’ to teach?” Wild challenges.

“Sure, I do. You could do a box step to this song.” With that, he promptly grabs for the champion, already delving into explanations of steps and movements, leading the younger hero into a clumsy impromptu dance lesson. Wild keeps looking at his feet in concentration before the rhythm finally gets under his heels and the pair settle into easy enjoyment once the champion gains enough confidence.

The two shortest heroes pair off as well, spinning into their own sort of dance that bounces to the beat. Sky makes his way over to Hyrule, noticing how the latter’s attention is still drawn to the musical keys.

“You should dance with us! It’ll be fun!” Sky says with an eager grin, pulling at the other’s wrists.

“Ah— no, I don’t—that is.. I don’t know how.” Hyrule admits sheepishly.

“Don’t worry! I’ll teach you.”

“I wouldn’t want to—“

“Go ahead and dance, traveler. It won’t hurt you,” the veteran teases. There is a smile in his voice that he hadn’t noticed being there before. However, he realizes that he doesn’t really mind it either.

Hyrule turns red and sputters hopelessly, his excuses dying off as the chosen hero grabs his wrist and hauls him off toward the others. Sky gently laughs at the traveler’s protests as he goes, the group letting out a round of cheers as the new dancer enters the fray.

“This kind of dance does better with strings honestly, but we can make do,” the Skyloftian says, linking his right arm with the other’s so they can spin in tandem. Legend lets out a laugh when he spots them attempting to switch directions, nearly knocking themselves and the others over in the process. They all laugh at the fallout, the others making sure they maintain their footing more securely.

The veteran steals a glance back towards the table just as Wild manages to persuade Twilight to get out of his seat and join them, a grin already infecting the ranch hand's features. Twilight calls back over his shoulder a word or two of encouragement to Time, still sitting in his chair, and before the old man can wave a hand and say a gentle refusal, the sailor grabs him by the arm insistently and pulls him up as well.

The old man’s dancing is more of a shuffle to his feet and a slight ripple to his body than actual dancing, but he gently mimics what he can from the others. Not long is he there until he cites exhaustion and flees to the sidelines, a handful of playful eye rolls and groans tailing after him. He finds his way toward the piano, pulling out a humble handcrafted ocarina from his pockets before bringing it to his lips with a smirk and joining in with the music.

It’s an odd sound, pairing an ocarina with a piano, but nevertheless, Legend shifts his hands down an octave to allow the higher notes of the woodwind more room to breathe.

So what if the song has been going on for longer than it was intended? So what if he can’t help the grin that spreads to his eyes or the laugh that bubbles from his throat? He doesn’t care right now. He cares even less when his playing shifts to jauntier tunes that match the energy befitting to the Skyloftian’s style of dance, or when he slows into simpler songs that allow those who are greenhorns a fighting chance in properly learning the steps of dances the Captain decides to teach.

His smile and his laughter persist, even after the music and dancing have long since died down. He swaps stories with his companions—no, his  _ friends _ —for hours later into the night, the happy memories and nostalgia pouring from every word like honey as each member of their group tells histories of old traditions of the dances they showed off, laughing at the various blunders they had bore witness to when participating.

The gentle happiness of it all flutters in his chest as he drifts off to sleep in his bed later that night.

It was a nice song.

A really nice song.

**Author's Note:**

> My first Linked Universe fic!!! I had a lot of fun writing this so I hope you enjoyed reading it!!
> 
> Thanks so much to Ambi and Seeking for beta-ing this fic!!! Your edits and pointers really helped make this so much more enjoyable!!
> 
> (Heavily inspired by [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUtBJK7yyaE) arrangement for what Legend starts out playing!!)


End file.
